Standing on the bow under a blissful sun and wrapped in a warm breeze, Jasper “The Eagle” Gloom gazed at the towering cliff walls that surrounded the bay, as for the first time in its history The Rambling Herald made its entrance into Stormbrace Port.

  He pressed a hand to his heart which was pumping wildly at the overwhelming sense of reverence inspired by those old docks that had seen the first pirates set sail for the islands. Time and again since he was a boy he had heard the stories of men and women who once had the crazy idea of rebelling against the overbearing power of the wizards. He had never believed he would live to take part in such a daring feat, but now, a hundred years later, history was repeating itself.

  What a glorious and insane day.

  As always when he left his cabin, he wore his golden mask in the shape of an eagle, although this time he would have preferred to take it off and feel all the warmth of that splendid morning caressing his skin. But he contented himself with scanning with his eyes the labyrinth of stone houses, bridges and stairways that clung proudly to the cliff. Somewhere in that immense port his great-grandfather had stood, looking perhaps in the same direction where he now stood, not even suspecting that fate had in store for him an encounter with a young prisoner who was waiting for him in Nemertya and with whom he would start a very peculiar family line.

  But it was too soon to remove his mask. He could not break his promise.

  A whistle interrupted his thoughts, as his boatswain, Warwick “Jolly Rogue” Torman, stood beside him.

  “We'd never gotten this close before.” His voice, usually cheerful, sounded hoarse this time, infused with gravity.

  On the contrary, Jasper felt more energetic than ever and felt it was his time to show some optimism. “Well, maybe it was about damn time.”

  Warwick turned his head toward him with concern. Perhaps he feared that his captain had fallen victim to illness.

  “Are you sure you want to do this, Captain?”

  The boatswain was referring to the prohibition against any pirate ship entering any port on the continent, especially if that port was Stormbrace, a pirate symbol. The Rambling Herald, though it served a mere emissary function, was no exception.

  Jasper narrowed his eyes.

  “If what we've been told is true, at this point it doesn't matter if we break one more rule. Don't you think?”

  The other man scratched his chin nervously.

  “Don't tell me you're scared, Warwick,” Jasper's sneer caused his subordinate to start coughing.

  The boatswain beat his chest in indignation.

  “Even for someone like me, war is serious business.”

  “I trust Rovenna will give us more time to get ready. How is Bronto doing?”

  “Weak, though he says the pain has stopped.”

  “That's good.”

  “The rest of the crew is still worried that it is contagious.”

  Jasper disagreed, but also didn't want to cause anxiety among his crew.

  “He will be kept in isolation until he recovers,” he ordered.

  Warwick nodded in approval.

  “What could possibly stop a sirenian to even use his healing power?”

  “Many strange things are happening and an even greater one is waiting for us here.”

  “So... you think it must be true?”

  “A whole port has withdrawn, Warwick. Something has lit the old flame, and I want to see it with my own eyes.”

  The distance between the ship and the docks began to shorten. A small crowd had gathered there as if waiting for them. It was no wonder. The presence of The Rambling Herald was unprecedented.

  Warwick held out a spyglass, which Jasper used to search among those curious faces for the person he most urgently needed to speak to. To his relief, it was not long before he came upon the sturdy figure of Dhabeos Myrkan making his way through the onlookers.

  Once the ship performed the proper maneuvers and took position alongside the dock, the members of the crew pulled out the plank of wood to begin descending. Dhabeos, on the other hand, took a step onto the gangplank ready to climb up, but Jasper motioned for him to stop.

  “Come on, Dhabeos, are you just about to deny me the pleasure of stepping onto the land of my ancestors?”

  The Port Captain grimaced at him as he stepped back to make way for the pirate. It was not the first time they had met, but since the Rambling Herald was forbidden to enter the port it was always Dhabeos who had to approach by boat.

  With great pleasure Jasper felt the wood of the dock creak under the weight of his boots. If anyone could have seen his face they would have noticed a wide smile crossing his lips.

  But he could not help noticing that his mood contrasted with the fearful looks on all the witnesses watching him, among them sailors and port dwellers. Both Dhabeos and the officers standing nearby wore deep circles under their eyes from exhaustion. Jasper guessed that with the port getting emptier and emptier it must not be easy to keep the city running. It was very likely that they had started rationing food.

  Dhabeos shook his hand.

  “So you got the news.”

  “We came across several ships on the way. The captains told me what happened.”

  “What do you know about the navy?”

  Jasper sighed, despite the pleasure he had felt moments before, time was running out.

  “As long as the ships stay away from the coast and head straight for Rebellion they will have no problems. The navy will not go farther than Sentinel Island, otherwise they will have to deal with our patrol ships. Any moment now the news will reach the League and they will send help.”

  Jasper watched Dhabeos' eyes close in relief as he took a deep breath.

  “Any news from Rovenna?” the pirate asked.

  “Only that we must hurry as she can no longer delay the message she must send to the capital.”

  Jasper nodded.

  “There's room on my ship, if you don't mind traveling with a sick sirenian.”

  Dhabeos looked at him in surprise.

  “Your helmsman has fallen ill? But they can-”

  “His healing magic isn't working. We don't know what's wrong with him. A few days ago he collapsed with pain and fever and we had to isolate him. The worst is over, but I think it will take him a few more days to recover.”

  “A lot of weird things are happening all of a sudden.”

  “And not only that. When Bronto got sick, we tried to communicate with the sirenians that roam the Freedom Sea, but none of them responded to our call. That has never happened before...” Dhabeos...” Jasper looked him straight in the eyes, he couldn't wait any longer. “Is it true what the captains said?”

  Dhabeos turned his head in the direction of the crowd on the other side of the dock.

  “Silas!”

  At the Port Captain's booming voice, the crowd didn't hesitate to let a young man with long, shaggy hair pass through. He was wearing worn shirt and pants. There was nothing unusual about him, he looked like just another fisherman, but as he approached Jasper's curiosity prompted him to shorten the distance. Their eyes were at the same height although the boy was unable to see his own.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  But Jasper could see him perfectly and it didn't take but an instant for him to confirm the extraordinary story that had just happened in Stormbrace.

  Golden eyes. Burning and defiant.

  Jasper gulped and reached out to the boy. He felt a strange sensation and when he looked down he saw that his hand was trembling.

  “My name is Jasper Bloom. Captain of the Rambling Herald.”

  The boy eyed him suspiciously but finally returned the greeting. As he shook Jasper's hand, a small current seemed to be born from his fingers and made his skin crawl. The chimera also seemed to have sensed it as he drew back at once and studied him up and down. Far from being offended, Jasper was overcome by a wave of emotion that the chimera was unable to see through the mask.

  “I'm Silas,” said the boy at last with a puzzled expression. It seemed that he wanted to ask him something, but as much as Jasper wanted to tell him everything he knew, this was not the right moment.

  “And how did you get here, Silas?”

  Dhabeos, visibly impatient, stepped in.

  “You'll have time to talk later. The boy is here because he wants to reach the Fellowship of the Island. Also, Rovenna's orders.”

  Jasper's gaze flickered between Dhabeos and Silas.

  “The Fellowship? What do you expect to find there?”

  Silas gave him a determined look.

  “I need to see the Archmage.”

  Jasper took a hand back to scratch a part of his neck where the mask used to bother him the most. That day it felt more suffocating than ever.

  “I don't know if the Archmage will be willing to receive a chimera.”

  “And a human,” added Dhabeos and pointed with his head to a girl with short black hair and blue eyes who had approached while being surrounded by a group of six children who soon made an even more ridiculous demand.

  “We want to go too!” they all shouted in unison.

  “No fucking way!” Dhabeos replied. “Do you have any idea how dangerous this trip is? You've never been out of the port!”

  The younger ones pouted to show their disappointment. The older ones raised their arms in protest. They engaged in a fiery argument with Dhabeos about him not having the right to decide for them.

  “We are pirates!” one of the children shouted, raising his fist as if he were about to take to the battlefield.

  “No, Milo, you're not! We're talking about crossing nothing less than the Freedom Sea! Not to mention the fog trap surrounding the island! You're all going straight to Rebellion and say no more.”

  “We can't leave Olivia and Silas alone!” protested one of the elders.

  “They'll be better off without you!”

  “You discriminate against us for being children!” one of the girls threw an accusatory finger at him.

  “But you are children!”

  “Leila would let us go!” said another.

  “Leila is not here!”

  “You're no fun at all, Dhabeos!”

  “None of this is fun! I'm trying to keep you safe!”

  “After all we did for you!”

  “You mean what you made me do, you little rascals! You are the masterminds of this entire mess.”

  That dispute could waste a lot of the little time they had, so Jasper raised his voice to make himself heard above the children's shouting.

  “I haven't said yes to anything yet!” he then turned to Silas and the girl who had taken her place next to him. “I understand why a chimera would want to seek refuge there... but what do you have to do with it?”

  The girl hesitated before answering and Dhabeos crossed the dock to disperse the crowd of curious spectators and order them to get on with ship repairs. Many of them protested as they wanted to know when they could leave the port and if Jasper was willing to give them a lift but the authority of the Port Captain prevailed.

  As soon as they were away, the girl began to speak.

  “My name is Olivia of Shadowrock.”

  As soon as she uttered the name, the image of the Count of Shadowrock came to Jasper's mind. The girl was the spitting image of his father. He turned to Dhabeos who made a gesture of confirmation.

  “But you... you were kidnapped-”

  “No, that's what the Council wants people to think.”

  She then went on to tell him everything that had happened since the attack on the lake, the transformation of Silas with the help of the sirenians and their thwarted journey across the Gulf of the Dancing Lights that had forced them to continue their journey overland.

  By this time Jasper's skin was boiling under the mask to the point where he felt his head was about to melt under its weight, but he had no choice but to wait to return to the ship.

  “Captain...” Warwick called to him from the gangplank. “Could it be them?”

  Jasper turned to look at him. All the crew had gathered at the gunwale and were listening to the whole conversation. It took him a moment to understand what his boatswain was referring to but then he remembered their failed mission on Misty Dream Strait.

  A few weeks ago, Bronto, the ship's helmsman, had received a message across the waters. The source remained unidentified, but they suspected that it must be someone who lived on the lake. According to the message, they were to keep close to the strait and watch for any suspicious movement, especially by the navy, and if necessary assist two travelers who might require their help. The sender stated that they did not need names as Bronto would be able to recognize their presence.

  However, they never found anyone in Misty Dream, no matter how many days they kept going through the strait. They managed to hear a rumor about strange fluctuations that had occurred in the surroundings but it was impossible for them to cross beyond the limits of the shore, so in the end they had to give up, trusting that the travelers had gone ahead and continued their journey safely.

  And now they were right there under their noses.

  “It was you... we've been looking for you for weeks.”

  “So will you help them?” Dhabeos asked.

  Before Jasper could think of an answer, Warwick interrupted them again.

  “Captain, the crew has voted!”

  “What're you talking about?”

  “We all agreed to take them, including the children. It will be an honor to have such esteemed rioters on our ships.”

  As he said this, the little rioters began to celebrate and hug each other.

  “This is no trip for children!”

  “Come on, Captain! We can dock at Kraken Bay to stock up and then head for the northern islands once they are received by the Archmage.”

  “We don't know if they will be received... Silas... there is no need to turn to the Fellowship. The pirates will welcome you with open arms if you choose to go with us.”

  The boy seemed to think about it for a moment. Jasper watched as he clenched his fists and then looked in Olivia's direction.

  “It's your decision,” she told him.

  “Yours too,” he replied.”

  She lowered her gaze.

  “After everything that happened, I don't know if I want to go to the island... My power...” She shook her head. “It is you who needs the Archmage's help. I... I should stay out of it.”

  “Coward,” the chimera spat.

  She looked at him with a hint of indignation in her eyes.

  “Why?”

  “You dragged me all the way here, and just because a pair of eyes scared you, you're going to leave me on my own.”

  “Because of me you suffered a great pain!”

  “That was nothing.” Silas folded his arms and puffed out his chest.

  The blond boy with an injured arm who seemed to be the leader of the group let out a loud snort and began to berate them both.

  “Can you two stop with the bullshit, I've been waiting my whole life to get on a pirate ship and a couple of lovesick fools aren't going to stop me!” the boy grabbed his hair. “This is The Rambling Herald, for fucks sake!”

  “Come on, lad, get in!” Warwick climbed down the plank and held out his hand to the boy. “What's your name, mate?”

  “Rufus!”

  “Welcome, Rufus. I'll introduce you to the rest of the crew. We need new members with hot blood like you. Come on up, children! The sooner you learn our trade, the better. This is going to be quite a bumpy ride.”

  “Warwick!” Jasper shouted.

  “The crew has voted, Captain,” the boatswain reminded him.

  Jasper should have a talk with the Pirate Assembly and present arguments as to why certain things should never be allowed to be voted on.

  “Thanks for nothing, Dhabeos!” Rufus exclaimed.

  “We love you anyway!” said one of the girls.

  “No, we don't!”

  By then Dhabeos watched the scene defeated and with slumped shoulders.

  “Take care of them all, Rufus!”

  “Of course I will, you moron! See to it that you get out of this port alive or I'll become Leila's next husband!”

  “You damn scoundrel!”

  While laughting, the children continued their ascent up the gangplank, leaving Silas and Olivia behind.

  “What are our chances that the Archmage will meet us?” she asked to Jasper.

  He took a moment to answer. His relationship with Bhoriax was not close enough to answer with certainty, although it was thanks to hybrid that the pirate now wore that mask that protected him. But like Jasper, whose authority was subordinate to the Assembly of Captains, Bhoriax, even with all his power, also had to answer to the Senate.

  The Fellowship kept a good relationship with the League to the point of having granted them a small port on the island where they could dock their ships in case of need as long as they did not go beyond the permitted boundaries. However, the hybrids were very reserved and, excluding the Archmage, the pirate had only had the opportunity to meet a few of them.

  “We can try,” he finally answered. “In case they don't accept you, we can always go to Kraken Bay and then return to the islands.”

  “So, stealing my ideas, huh!” exclaimed Warwick. “I should be the captain.”

  “If you didn't spend half the time drunk, I'd be afraid you'd take my place.”

  After reaching an agreement with Dhabeos, Jasper conceded that in exchange for provisions for the journey he would allow another small group of citizens to board the ship. It would be a rather cramped trip, though he had faith in the expertise of his crew to make it safely across the Freedom Sea. It would have been preferable to wait for Bronto's recovery, but for the time being they would have to do without him.

  The bustle in the port increased as the news spread among the desperate people who were still looking for an escape route. They could not allow the situation to get out of control. While the crew loaded barrels of water and sacks of food supplies, Jasper set about overseeing the distribution of the passengers. He would have no choice but to share his cabin, so he would have no moments alone to give himself a break from the mask.

  When the last barrel was secured and the gangplank removed, Jasper went on deck, stood by the helm and raised his voice:

  “Weigh anchor! Cast off!”

  The sails unfurled with a creak and the ship jerked before it began moving forward. The crowded docks was soon reduced to a speck in the distance and the cries of those who remained on shore were replaced by the incessant roar of the waves.

  A briny breeze swept across the deck fluttering the blue and silver flag. Jasper took one last parting glance at the port as The Rambling Herald left the safe embrace of the bay behind and entered the vast and dreaded Freedom Sea.

  Thank you for reading!

  I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

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